Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

This blog must be resurrected! I have gotten so many great recipes from here and I'm in need of more quick dinner recipes. I wish I had a great one to share, but today I only have a treat.

These are SO good! Of course they would be, they are from Paula Dean!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars


Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
* 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* Streusel topping, recipe follows
* 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.
Streusel Topping:

* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Yield: approximately 3 cups